Pages

July 7, 2008

G92: Red Sox 1, Twins 0

Matsuzaka threw strikes -- with a good cut fastball -- and turned in his longest outing of the season. He allowed only six baserunners over the first six innings (and half of those came in the first inning). His pitch counts by inning: 25-9-10 14-12-13 13-12 = 108.

The Red Sox blew a scoring chance in the fourth. Singles from Drew and Ramirez gave Boston runners at the corners and no one out. Lowell struck out, but Youkilis walked to load the bases. However, Crisp popped to third and Varitek flied to center. (Lowell's strikeout was his only batting blemish; he walked twice and doubled.)

In the eighth, Pedroia doubled high off the Wall and took third on Drew's groundout. Manny's single to right field (his second hit of the night) brought home the only run of the game.

The Royals beat the Rays 7-4 in 10 innings, so Tampa's lead was cut to four games.

385 comments:

KC just took a 6-3 lead over the Rays in the top of the 10th.About $%#&!% time....

There may have been another stretch in the past 20 years when the Sox lost more winnable games through flukes, bad luck, and bad managing, but I sure can't remember it...and my memory for horror is pretty good, unfortunately

However, given his recent proclivities, which include deciding that Tek is a great hit-and-run man and a perfect pinch-hitter as his average goes lower and lower, we can expect Tito to pinch-hit him for Josh Hamilton at a crucial point in the game in order to get a right-left advantage.

exactly why the camera angle is so dumb--we have to "Get used to it" every time the team goes home/goes on the road. But I'm so effed up because of it I'm trying to do new math with every hit to estimate where the ball's going.

Mark Texiera is a name that's being thrown around as a kind of guy the Red Sox could be looking for toward the deadline. Big bat for a short time, in case Ortiz or Manny struggle in the second half....

Watching every game, I look at any batted ball now, and my mind tries to figure out which camera I'm going from. Like, in the old days, I knew right where a ball was going. Now it's off by 20 feet either way, which is a big difference. A ball "up the middle" on the new angle was right to the shortstop on the old.

At home, in Lynn, taking on the Danbury Westerners. My only duties tonight are to prepare for a light feature interview with the team's third baseman, and do live scoring updates on the website, so I'll be free to chit chat for the most part.

Mark Texiera is a name that's being thrown around as a kind of guy the Red Sox could be looking for toward the deadline. Big bat for a short time, in case Ortiz or Manny struggle in the second half....

I like. I think there's a lot of potential reward to a move like that and I don't think you'd have to mortgage the farm to get him. Also, I want no part of Bonds.

i had espn muted last night, but was gammo saying the sox were talking about bonds, which might mean tiz may not be back as soon as they think? ... i would assume they are "talking" internally about a lot of things, though.

joe, were you doing this last year? If so, did you interview Rich Gedman's son when he was on the Sanford Mainers?

This is the Navs' first year of existence, so no. However, the previous tenant of Fraser was the independent North Shore Spirit, and Rich Gedman was one of their coaches in 2003 and 2004. I got his autograph and met him a few times.

I suspect Lugo's not going to go too far towards getting Tex. But it is a funny idea, as if there is a long-term agreement between us and the Braves about shortstops. Or maybe the Boston owners lost a colassal bet and now have to provide a free-agent shortstop at half price in perpetuity.

Waconah was just the closest to me in Danbury (pre-Westerners' existence). I have moved a bunch since, and even if I hadn't, it's not like that was my local park anyway. But I do recommend the place--with its sun delays and rafter owls.

How far away from Lynn do you live, Joe? Does it cost you much money to get to the ballpark?

I live in Revere - about a 15 minute drive from the park. I take the bus, so all told it probably takes me about 45 minutes on an average day. I pay $15 a week for a T pass (I lobbied unsuccessfully to have it paid for by the team, but it's all good because students can write transit passes off of their taxes)

I suspect Lugo's not going to go too far towards getting Tex. But it is a funny idea, as if there is a long-term agreement between us and the Braves about shortstops. Or maybe the Boston owners lost a colassal bet and now have to provide a free-agent shortstop at half price in perpetuity.

Yeah, unfortunately for us, Atlanta has a very good shortstop in Escobar.

I agree with Nix. I did shrug it off--but only after vomiting my brains out after watching the Yanks beat us on a bullshit roller that almost died before reaching the outfield when we're clearly the better team.

I live in Revere - about a 15 minute drive from the park. I take the bus, so all told it probably takes me about 45 minutes on an average day. I pay $15 a week for a T pass (I lobbied unsuccessfully to have it paid for by the team, but it's all good because students can write transit passes off of their taxes)

That's too bad there's not too much money in it. A game or two would be okay, but it gets hard to do it regularly - of course, I'm saying this without having a job at the moment. But man. That sounds so tempting. Photographing baseball and stadiums and fans and baseball players. That's something I wouldn't mind doing on a larger stage later in life.

jere said...I agree with Nix. I did shrug it off--but only after vomiting my brains out after watching the Yanks beat us on a bullshit roller that almost died before reaching the outfield when we're clearly the better team.

Questions so far for Kyle Geason (3B from Eden Prairie, MN, and the University of Minnesota)

-This team has a mix of Southerners, New England guys, and West Coasters. What's the culture in the clubhouse been like for a guy from the midwest?

-Just how bad are the Minnesota winters? Does New England in the summertime feel tropical to you?

-What are three things about the University of Minnesota that most people don't know?

-You redshirted this year, and it seemed to impact you at the start of the summer as you got off to a bit of a slow start. How much did it affect you, and in what ways? Are you finally feeling back in the swing of things?

-It’s 2 a.m. in Minneapolis and you’re practically starving. Where do you go to fix the craving?

-What’s been your favorite road trip so far? What has it been like seeing all of these towns all over New England?

Personally I think that Chad Finn summed it up best for me on Lugo - Julio Lugo: The worst. At what? Why, everything. Haven't you been watching? (All right, that was a sweet leaping catch on the line drive, and it's always nice to see Jeter look foolish. And he's better than Cora. So he's the second-worst. My apologies, Julio. Keep on keepin' on.)

Ish, I'd contact the Sanford Mainers this winter - I bet you they'd be willing to take you on as a photography intern if you ask early enough. Yeah, you don't get paid and it can become a bit of a grind, but spending nights at the ballpark is a joy, it's great experience, and it's a great line for your resume.

I was out of range or otherwise engaged for every game of the Yankees series, so I didn't experience the ups, downs, and frustrations. But I figure we split in their park, winning handily twice and losing narrowly twice -- that's not bad.

Joe, I found that interviewing was a skill like any other, that developed over time and with practice. Not something I realized in advance! Looking back, I think I started as a really boring interviewer, pretty cliched, and became very good - but it took time.

-It’s tied in the bottom of the 9th in game 3 of the NECBL championship series. The bases are loaded with two outs. Excluding yourself, who do you feel most comfortable with at the plate in that situation to come through and bring home the title?

-What’s been the best thing about playing in Lynn so far?

-What’s the one aspect of your game that you think you need to work on the most?

-If you could study abroad for one semester, anywhere in the world, where would you want to go and what would you want to study?

-If baseball doesn’t work out for you, where do you see yourself in ten years? What are some of your other career interests?

Enough already about the all-star game .who really cares besides agents and players children , who get paraded all around during the wonderful festivities, And I also am impressed with all these ballpalyers videotaping the HR contest. Its on tv you idiots....